Politics and Surf City monkeyshines aside, I am looking forward to the book signing and discussion tomorrow afternoon in the Bella Terra Barnes and Noble, HB, 2pm today (Sunday June 8,) for two new books by two local authors: “Huntington Beach Chronicles: the Heart of Surf City“ by popular journalist Chris Epting, and “The New Deal in Orange County“ – the first book by his son Charles Epting. I’m especially looking forward to the New Deal book, which sounds real interesting.

But what’s gotten into Chris Epting lately? He seems to be going through some changes. Already a popular journalist, author, and radio host, specializing in local history and popular music, he got the bug for political activism last year when he practically led the charge against the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s attempt to remove all beach fire pits from several counties just to make a few Newport Beach zillionaires happy.

But what was the lesson he took away from that struggle? Not so much that the rich manipulate our government and almost always get their way, as that government’s attempts to protect our environment are always heavy-handed, oppressive, based on faulty science, and just intended to increase the government’s power and enrich egghead consultants.

WRONG LESSON. Now Chris has declared war on the popular council-members (and my friends) who were elected decisively on the platform they are following – Boardman, Shaw, Hardy, Katapodis – a platform of protecting our cherished coast from pollution by plastic bags, styrofoam, development of sensitive areas, and the perennial threat Poseidon. In fact he’s developed a particular hard-on for my good friend (the sometimes abrasive but working on that) Joe Shaw. I think I won’t get too far into that, the Epting jihad against Joe deserves its own story, as does the list of other great things this majority has done for the city, and I’m still looking forward to the event tomorrow. But I just want to say a few things right away:

No, we are not spending TWO MILLION DOLLARS ON A GLOBAL WARMING CONSULTANT. We are required to prepare a General Plan, our first since 1996. We chose PMC out of four companies that bid; they were not the most expensive (it’s unclear if they were #2 or 3 in expense – staff said “third cheapest.”) Staff did consider them by far the most qualified; one selling point was their expertise in climate change issues and “coastal resiliency” which are obvious important issues for a beach town; some of the green aspects are required under AB 32; and still that is only a small portion of the issues they’ll be dealing with. And $2 million is within the ballpark for a General Plan to last 20 years for a city our size.

No, Joe did not for some nefarious or petty reason duck out of voting to repeal our unconstitutional Rackauckas-inspired sex offenders-in-parks law. He had already voted to repeal in the previous 5-2 vote; he had good reason to think that night’s vote would be unanimous as it was, now that the other two had exhausted their grandstanding; it had been a long meeting, other members were bloviating, and he REALLY DID have to go to the bathroom. Case closed, Chris.

And no, neither Joe nor anyone else on City Council had anything to do with reporting the popular Johnny’s Saloon Support-Our-Veterans sign as unpermitted last December. Everyone on Council and all the rest of us are glad that that issue is now dealt with, and the sign is up for good.

I know that both Chris and Joe love Huntington Beach, its culture and natural beauty. But Chris should avoid getting used by the political forces who’d like to see a rollback to the days when Surf City was run by out-of-town developers and corporations like Poseidon pulling the strings of corrupt councilmen. That’s all I’ll say for now. I’m looking forward to getting a copy of his son’s new book, described by Barnes and Noble thusly:

Unpredictably harsh elements wreaked havoc in Orange County during the Great Depression. The 1933 Long Beach earthquake claimed 115 lives, shattering lands eastward across the Los Angeles County line into the Orange County cities. Then 60 people perished in the devastating 1938 Santa Ana River flood, which washed out roads and buildings and much of the county’s namesake citrus industry.

Orange County’s 130,000 people received a greater density of federal public aid than LA County’s 2.2 million and San Diego County’s 210,000. Join Charles Epting on this tour of the buildings, bridges, harbors, trails, libraries, highways and other infrastructure gains—many still in use—that were revitalized by the Works Progress Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps and other agencies of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal.

22 Comments

Well hey, we’re open minded. And so your readers know, I have no Jihad against anyone- they should know this entire thing started when Joe Shaw took offense to my merely encouraging people to show up at city council to express heir views- not any particular view- just their own. He wondered why I was “stirring the pot.” he then went on a a public, on line rant against me, shrieking that I should “own my tea party affiliations.” I have none of those. Never have, never will. But that didn’t matter to Joe- that’s just how he sees everyone that he perceives as a threat, I guess. A reader of Joe’s grabbed the entire discussion before it was too late, should anyone like to see it how an elected public official goes on the attack of a private citizen.

I agree that Joe’s supporters go overboard when they cal you “homophobic” just for attacking Joe – whoever it is that does that. I see no evidence of you being homophobic.

But I’m also thinking … ARE you just a “private citizen?” I’m not sure, really. Where do we find the official definition of that? I’ll say a little more in a bit … in the middle of work (playing organ at church!)

We are activist journalist/bloggers, brother, I don’t think we should hide behind the term “private citizens!” We are brave and outspoken, we go out and take our lumps.

“Tea party” has become a term conservative republicans have started to run away from, and an easy insult from liberals. I try to only use it when denoting different factions of the Republicans. But you are certainly more POLITICAL – at least lately – than you claim to be.

I also think this is illustrates why journalists should not be close friends with politicians -objectivity goes straight out the window. More than a few of Joe’s supporters wrote me after his outbursts to let me know how taken aback they were. As a journalist, and a good one, that should get your attention.

Vern is one of the least-objective writers I’ve had the displeasure of reading. If a person in the news (whether politician or cause) throws a half-second kind glance his way, he becomes an immediate lapdog for them (see: Lucille Kring in the past, Jose Moreno in the present, the time where Vern fully accepted some pendejo’s claim that just because Jesus Aguirre had a gang tattoo didn’t make him a member of said gang). Chris: That you’re even bothering with this waste of a post just shows how professional and nice you really are…

For the record, since I’m sitting here right now with time on my hands:

I don’t think Gustavo does read much of what I write, not that he would describe it fairly if I did, BUT:

KRING. Never her lapdog. Endorsed her half-heartedly when Tom Tait, Cynthia Ward, David Zenger, Jason Young – all smart people whom Gustavo and I both respect – did the same. We all immediately regretted it. Been Kring’s biggest critic ever since.

MORENO: Give him major props for what he’s done to bring districting to Anaheim. Defended him from some scurrilous attacks. Gustavo hates him because he didn’t think Gustavo was a good choice to speak at an education conference (I probably would have disagreed with Moreno there.) But never his lapdog.

JESUS: I didn’t take his cousin’s word that he wasn’t an Eastside member. Just quoted the cousin … and then coninued “Whether Jesus was a gang member or not….”

And now, even though I agree with most of what Joe Shaw does in HB, and will defend him when he’s accused of nonsense, I’m not his lapdog either, and have criticized him as well. Ask many of my politician friends, I hold the fuckers accountable. One of them says when he sees me, “Friend or foe today?” And I say, “depends what you’re up to, brother.” That’s how it should be.

This is PECISELY the case in Santa Ana, where a local blog writer is on a crusade to reshape the city council and oust the mayor. As a result he has turned a blind eye to corruption councilwide, and even perpetuates it.

It has come to the point where one sitting councilmember calls out the blogger by name and winks. About as objective as a Yankee fan at Fenway!

Vern- many of his supporters have expressed to me that they are tired of the “he’s working on his attitude problem” – perhaps because it has ticked off too many “important” people. He’s a grown man- an elected official – does he a need a timeout, too? When he gently accused three council members of being racist- and yes he did- was that a “think skin” problem? Or a “i’m gonna make whatever accusations i need to make regardless of whether they are true or not in order to defend my cause” problem? Like telling me to “own my tea party affiliations.” A simply outreach or explanation to that would have helped. What you describe as thin skin, I see as destructive arrogance. And ranting on line that I have said “so many terrible things about Obama!” Come on. This is not thin skin. This is just flat out irresponsible behavior that needs to be owned. And like I said, lots of supporters are tired of the excuse making.

So, you are Mr. populist, non-partisan, salt of the earth guy. I think at some point soon you should give the Shaw-Boardman-Hardy-Katapodis majority major props for how they have stood up for mobile home owners, against the abusive park owners and the generally Republican councilmen the park owners have funded. That would show some objectivity!

I think that will be my next Huntington beach story, one that hasn’t been told enough. There are other good things the Shaw majority has done in Surf City beside just protect our cherished environment.

The mobile home stuff is great- agree-i’m getting into that now as well. I’m not saying there are not good stories to tell- I just can’t understand why (and others) make so many excuses for the *bad* stories. And I am non partisan – I will defend myself against ANY side that attacks me. That’s all I started doing, Vern – defending myself against some really baseless behavior by Joe. You get that, right? Would you not do the same thing? If someone told you to “own your tea party affiliations” just for encouraging people to get involved in local politics? And then accused me of having some evil agenda and implying I was being watched by some vague “we”?? Really?

If someone told you to “own your tea party affiliations” just for encouraging people to get involved in local politics?

I like Joe, and I haven’t been following the underlying conflict between you that closely. But your assertion that it’s over your “just … encouraging people to get involved in local politics” sounds disingenuous. Is it really about his objecting to your drumming up political participation — or is it maybe about the content of your pitch?

I really don’t feel like witnessing evidence of infantile behavior from either side or any side – how about I just take your word for it that a few of his supporters are dillwads? (Like those don’t exist everywhere.)

I assume these are not the same Joe supporters that tell you they’re impatient with his irascibility.